That sets up what is basically a District 4-4A tournament in the regional quarterfinal round with Canyon taking on Pampa and Randall facing Dumas next week.
Randall rolls over Riverside
MIDLAND- The Randall softball team didn’t have much trouble in getting past the area round of the Class 4A Region I state playoffs this weekend.
The Lady Raiders ended up sweeping the El Paso Riverside Lady Rangers, winning Game 1, 11-2, on Friday before finishing it off with a 12-3 victory in Game 2 on Saturday at Midland Greenwood.
With the sweep, Randall moved to 27-11 overall while Riverside’s season ended at 19-10.
“I told the girls that when we get into the playoffs, it’s all about playing to your potential,” Randall head coach Michael Collins said. “If you’re good enough to win, great. If you’re not good enough to win, just play your best. I thought we came out Saturday and played better than Friday. We hit the ball a lot better, and we saw it a lot better so I’m pretty happy with that.”
Randall finished with 15 hits and one error in Saturday’s game while Riverside had seven hits and two errors.
Landri Holcomb led the Lady Raiders with three runs, three hits and one RBI from three at-bats. Lauren Garcia had one run, two hits and three RBIs.
Randall’s Jazlynn Quigley was credited with the win in the circle, coming in for Berkley Browder at the start of the fourth and finishing with two strikeouts.
“Jazlynn pitched a ton for us early in the year so to get her in with some playoff experience as a freshman was huge,” Collins said. “Luckily, at Randall High, there’s a stable of pitchers. There’s a number of girls on our team that can pitch so it’s really nice to be able to do that. Then, you can change it up later in the season if you need to.”
Browder had six strikeouts from her three innings of work. Jacqueline Cervantes had two hits and one RBI for Riverside.
The Lady Raiders didn’t waste any time getting started in Saturday’s contest as Randall scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone. Lauren Garcia’s RBI scored Jazlynn Quigley to put Randall on the scoreboard and Anberlin O’Dell soon followed it up with a two-run homer. O’Dell also hit a special milestone setting Randall’s single-season record for RBIs in a year now sitting at 64. O’Dell is also tied for the single-season home run record with 13.
Miley Brown singled in the bottom of the second inning before stealing second base. She soon crossed home plate off a double by Landri Holcomb for a 4-0 lead. The Lady Raiders then used a 7-run barrage in the bottom of the third to take an 11-0 lead.
One of the scoring plays in the third came after the Lady Raiders loaded the bases and Brown wouldn’t disappoint with her three RBI triple to deep center field, giving Randall an 8-0 advantage.
“That was awesome,” Collins said of the third inning. “We talked all week about starting fast and being able to play from ahead. There’s a lot less pressure when you’re playing from ahead so that was a big goal of ours. Yesterday, we sputtered a little bit but today was awesome. That third inning, we had tons of girls stringing together hits and they fed off each other’s energy which was what good teams do.”
In Friday’s Game 1, the Lady Raiders also got off to a quick start, going up 2-0 in the top of the first inning and scoring five runs in the top of the third to help put the game away.
Randall finished Game 1 with 14 hits and no errors while Riverside had seven hits and five errors.
Randall now squares off with district rival Dumas (29-7) in the regional quarterfinals at a time and place to be determined.
– Michael Bauer
Canyon cruises past Fabens
Canyon made quick work of Fabens in a two-game sweep during the Class 4A area round on Thursday and Friday at Midland Greenwood.
The Lady Eagles blanked Fabens 16-0 on Thursday, then put on another blistering performance during a 22-4 route on Friday.
Canyon (19-14) will now take on district foe Pampa (21-8) in a regional quarterfinal at a time and place to be determined.
In Game 1, Kylie Knowles and Brinley Hightower combined for a perfect game in the run-rule win. Knowles worked four excellent innings in the circle with nine strikeouts without giving up a hit or a walk. Hightower worked a scoreless fifth to cap off the perfect game.
Offensively, Kamrin Gutierrez provided the pop at the plate going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, driving in three runs.
In Game 2, Knowles only worked a brief two innings but again was in control racking up four K’s and didn’t allow a hit. Knowles combined in the series pitched six total innings with an impressive 13 strikeouts an more importantly never surrendered a hit to Fabens. Knowles also did her damage at the dish going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Teammate Kenah Cox doubled while also driving in a pair of runs.
Dumas dismantles San Elizario
Strong bats and tough pitching was a recipe for success as Dumas had no issue getting by San Elizario in the Class 4A area round in Seminole on Friday and Saturday.
Dumas run-ruled San Elizario in the sweep grabbing a 12-2 victory on Friday followed by a 21-0 shutout on Saturday.
Melaney Granados was key in both wins going a combined 5-for-8 in the series with a homer, a double and a triple. Briana Vargas was 4-for-6 in both matchups and Cami Velasquez went 4-for-7 with a double, a homer and a pair of singles. Star Cortes dominated in the circle tossing a total of eight innings tallying eight strikeouts.
Dumas (29-7) moves on to play rival Randall (27-11) in the regional quarterfinals at a time and place to be determined.
Pampa pummels Clint
Like all the other District 4-4A teams, Pampa blasted Clint with a pair of one-sided victories in the area round on Friday and Saturday in Andrews.
The Lady Harvesters wrecked Clint on Friday thanks to an 18-1 win and then completed the sweep with a 14-2 victory on Saturday.
Pampa (21-8) advances to square off with district champion, Canyon (19-14), in a regional quarterfinal at a time and place to be determined.
Kynleigh Kirby had a monster series for the Lady Harvesters. At the plate, Kirby a perfect 6-for-6 including two doubles, a homer, totaling eight RBIs. Kirby also earned a win in the circle throwing five innings in Game 1 giving up two hits with seven K’s. Teammate Hallie Hawthorne impressed herself with a three-run bomb in Game 1 followed by another two-homer effort in Game 2. Like Kirby, Hawthorne pitched great to earn the victory in the second game tossing five innings with nine strikeouts.
Class 5A
Amarillo High gets scare from Del Valle
It took all three games, but the Amarillo High Lady Sandies were able to get by El Paso Del Valle in the Class 5A area round on Friday and Saturday in Seminole.
The Lady Sandies dominated the first game of the series with a 16-3 win on Friday only to see Del Valle score three late runs to stun AHS in Game 2 with a 9-8 victory. However, the Lady Sandies were able to bounce back in the rubber matchup with a 4-0 shutout to clinch the series.
AHS slugger Danae Lopez was flat out incredible feasting on Del Valle pitching over the three games. Lopez finished the series going 8-for-12 with three doubles as well as three home runs totaling 11 RBIs. Lopez now has 23 homers on the seasons.
AHS (33-3) is headed to the Class 5A regional quarterfinals to take on Lubbock Monterey (29-5-1) at a time and place to be determined.
Class 3A
River Road marches over Presidio
The River Road Lady Wildcats join Bushland in the Class 3A regional quarterfinals after nabbing a 6-0 shutout of Presidio in a one-game area round matchup on Friday night at Midland Greenwood.
The Lady Wildcats improve to 22-10 overall and move on to play Lamesa (18-3) in the regional quarterfinals in a one-game scenario at 7 p.m. Thursday night in Littlefield.
Carolyn Koval threw 5.2 scoreless innings while holding Presidio without a hit and five strikeouts. Teammate Ava Sharp delivered a two-run homer and Emma Kilman went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Class 2A
Sanford-Fritch survives wild series against Floydada
The Sanford-Fritch Lady Eagles are the only Class 2A Texas Panhandle team left standing after earning a wild three-game series win over Floydada on Friday and Saturday at West Plains High School.
This series saw a little bit of everything for fans as the two teams combined for 61 runs over the three games.
The Lady Eagles had to rally after dropping a heartbreaking Game 1 loss, 14-13, on Friday night. However, Saturday, Fritch forced a decisive Game 3 thanks to a 12-6 win, then came back from behind for a 9-7 victory that clinched the series.
In that electric Game 3, Floydada led 7-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth before the Lady Eagles highlighted the game by plating five runs in that bottom half of the inning. Natalee Grimes doubled home Abbygail Murphy to tie the game up, 7-7, and moments later Fritch took the lead for good when Bryleigh Carr reached on an error that plated Grimes for an 8-7 advantage. Hallie White added big insurance on a double later in the inning that plated Carr for a 9-7 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Floydada had one final shot with the bases loaded, however, Emily Wade got a ground out to third to end the game and give the Lady Eagles the series victory. Wade was gutsy in the circle all weekend pitching all 21 innings. Carr did work at the dish going 4-for-4 in Game 1 with three RBIs. White came through in Game 2 with a 3-for-4 effort that saw four RBIs, and in Game 3 White was clutch with two doubles with three more runs driven in.
The Lady Eagles (25-8) advance to play Colorado City (14-6) in the regional quarterfinals at a time and place to be determined.
H.S. area scores
Class 2A
Forsan sweeps Clarendon
Game 1: Forsan 16, Clarendon 11
Game 2: Forsan 10, Clarendon 4
Records: Forsan 24-8; Clarendon 22-6-2.
Colorado City def. Sunray, 2-1
Game 1: Colorado City 8, Sunray 2
Game 2: Sunray 6, Colorado City 3
Game 3: Colorado City 10, Sunray 3
Records: Sunray 21-11; Colorado City 14-6.
Ralls sweeps West Texas High
Game 1: Ralls 7, West Texas High 0
Game 2: Ralls 19, West Texas High 6
Records: Ralls 24-6-1; West Texas High 17-13.